Principal Economist,
Climate Change, Natural Resources, and Outlooks Division,
OECD Environment Directorate,
Paris, France

With an interest in both economics and environmental issues, Shardul Agrawala enrolled in the School's Field IV program along with the newly created Certificate in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP). He noted that the programs were a natural fit for him, having his roots in engineering as well as an interest in the economics of environmental issues.

Says Shardul, “STEP subsequently became a core cluster for the WWS doctoral program, and I was the first person from this cluster to receive a Ph.D. The STEP coursework I took as part of my M.P.A. degree really played a critical role in helping me converge on the issues I have worked on since.

“STEP courses have had a direct bearing on my career. Among the STEP faculty, I owe a special debt of gratitude to Frank von Hippel, who served as mentor during my second year in the M.P.A. program, and subsequently became my Ph.D. advisor. I really learned a lot from his emphasis on rigor in analysis, his modesty, and his lifelong commitment to science in the public interest.

“WWS has been my most memorable educational experience—I found it as intellectually rich as it is diverse, within a generous, flexible system, and with more than a few truly exceptional individuals.”